Will proposed changes pull the teeth of the Endangered Species Act?

Darkfrog submitted, created time 3 months 2 weeks (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

As things stand, before granting permission for the government or a private entity to start a project that may affect an endangered specie, the Army Corps of Engineers or FEMA sends the case to the Fish and Wildlife Service or to the NOAA. There, biologists and ecologists determine whether the proposed project would harm vital habitats or the species themselves. These organizations cover tens of thousands of projects each year.

In other words, "Scientific question, ask scientists

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U.S.-Mexico border fence may trap jaguars as well as immigrants

Darkfrog submitted, created time 10 months 1 week (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

This is fascinating. I never knew that any jaguars at all lived in the United States, let alone as far northeast as North Carolina!

Now this isn't a message of doom for all jaguars everywhere, just the eleven males who've been spotted in the Southwest over the past few years. Now, while the government's decision to not implement a recovery plan technically violates the Endangered Species Act, I find that I can see their point. For so few animals, any efforts toward the conservation of jaguars would be better spent elsewhere.

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New population of Iberian lynx raises hope, says World Wildlife Fund

benjiamin submitted, created time 1 year 1 month (www.eurekalert.org)

Spanish authorities have announced they have discovered a previously unknown population of Iberian lynx, triggering hope for one of the world's most endangered cat species, said World Wildlife Fund today.

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